Day the ducks needed oilskins

A crane tumbled down a bank yesterday, smashed into a house and then leaked diesel and oil into the Wellington Botanic Gardens duck pond.

The crane operator jumped clear and was not injured.

The accident happened when workers from Titan Cranes and a tree removal company were hauling part of a tree from a property in the suburb of Northland.

About 240 litres of diesel and 80 litres of engine oil in the crane later leaked into the stormwater system, polluting the duck pond at the Botanic Gardens, harbour ranger Greg Meikle said.

Two "oiled" ducks had to be cleaned by SPCA staff.

- NZPA